Eight Senate Democrats are pushing other drug store chains to follow the lead of CVS Caremark and ditch the habit of selling cigarettes.

“We recognize the legality of selling and profiting from tobacco products, however we also believe that you are in a position to have a major positive impact on public health,” the senators wrote.

CVS announced last week that it would voluntarily abandon sales of cigarettes and other tobacco products, citing public health concerns and the company’s role as a health care provider and insurance company.

We write to urge Rite Aid, as a company committed to the health and wellness of its customers, to follow CVS Caremark’s plan to stop selling tobacco products and promote cessation efforts in all stores. We recognize the legality of selling and profiting from tobacco products, however we also believe that you are in a position to have a major positive impact on public health. By reducing the availability of cigarettes and other tobacco products and increasing access to tobacco cessation products, Rite Aid has the power to further foster the health and wellness of its customers and send a critical message to all Americans — and especially children – about the dangers of tobacco use.

CVS Caremark’s historic announcement comes on the heels of the 50th anniversary of the first Surgeon General’s report on smoking and health, and new revelations in the latest Surgeon General’s report that smoking is even more hazardous and takes an even greater toll on the nation’s health than previously known. Smoking kills 480,000 Americans annually, sickens millions more, and costs the nation more than $289 billion every year. The impact of tobacco on our nation’s children is impossible to ignore – 90 percent of adult smokers began at or before age 18, and 5.6 million kids alive today will die prematurely from smoking-caused disease unless current trends are reversed. These findings highlight the critical need for all sectors of our community to play a role in ending the unnecessary disease and death that results from tobacco use.

CVS Caremark’s bold and admirable decision will complement federal efforts to save lives and reduce health care costs through continued implementation of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, access to smoking cessation therapies with no out-of-pocket expenses under the Affordable Care Act, and the ongoing success of public awareness campaigns like CDC’s “Tips from a Former Smoker” and FDA’s new “The Real Cost” campaign.

In recognition of the 8.6 million Americans who currently suffer from smoking-caused illnesses, we hope you will join this national effort to end the scourge of tobacco use. We look forward to working with you in a joint effort to promote the health of all Americans.

Why ask? Why not just have Obama decree it so???? Go HOME, Sen. Harkin. We don’t need you anymore. We have an emperor now.

yahoouser1165

So they don’t are sending letters asking a commercial enterprise to change their business practice in order make the USG happy. Where are the letters to the Colorado government asking them to change the new law on marijuana?

Bill Chelmowski

Fascists never change.

Layla

This is what happens when you spend a lifetime in Congress. You become so arrogant you forget why you were sent. Our entire Congress is made up of people like this. We’ve lost our homes, jobs, can’t pay our bills, CAN’T LIVE, but by GOD they are going to continue to force a lifestyle upon us even if it takes down the entire country. What will you decide to tax when tobacco is gone?

Congratulations, Congress, you have succeeded in destroying our lives!

Stupidity! This looks like nothing but politicians seeking free publicity. Pressuring one segment of the distribution channel will do nothing to diminish demand … and sells.

Tobacco is an addiction. Until a person decides that they want to quiet, they will just find another place to buy their cig’s. I have two close friends who have been trying to quiet for years. It is 37 degrees here today. They were outside in their car this morning, running the engine, and smoking so they wouldn’t stink up the house! … That’s what I call an addiction.

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About #WGDB

Niels Lesniewski has covered the Senate for CQ Roll Call since January 2010, and more recently as a staff writer and resident procedure guru for Roll Call. Niels holds degrees in both government and theater but sometimes can't tell the difference between the two. @nielslesniewski